Hello Tissue Paper!

by Edward Quiceno, marketing assistant, crafting novice, and hot chocolate connoisseur

I recently starting working at this lively place called KLUTZ, and quickly realized I had formidable crafting competition. To be frank, I had never really crafted before, or maybe I had and just didn’t realize I was crafting. So I thought that Halloween celebrations would be a great opportunity to put my crafting skills to the test and surprise everyone at the office.

Luckily, I found myself being inspired and excited by the range of options Klutz books has to offer. Hoping to make some decorations that would wow the office, I found the perfect book to assist me in my endeavor.

Hello tissue paper! Klutz’s Tissue Paper Crafts was my saving grace. 

I figured I could use some company, and help, and hot chocolate, so my friend Caro and my sister Yoly teamed up with yours truly to make some awesome crafts. Plus, this crafting session was a fun way to accompany some delicious hot chocolate.

We started off our Halloween decorating with some “pumpkin” making: 

I was excited to see how quickly the pumpkins could be made (my crafting ego was growing). The book is great because it comes with step-by-step instructions to make shapes and sizes that can be used as garlands, flowers, or hey, even pumpkins. Feeling inspired we then decided to step it up a notch and make a Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) design to activate some wall space. Check out some of our specially-designed Halloween decorations:

Stay tuned for my journey to crafting fame; I’m coming for the crafting throne!

Four Last-Minute Finger-Knit Costumes

by Caitlin Harpin, editor and Junior Mints enthusiast

I take Halloween seriously. So seriously in fact, that if a party guest shows up without a costume, I’ll insist on providing one from my stash of goofy accessories and ordinary household items. (If you show up fashionably late, there’s a not-bad chance that you may end up being a toilet paper mummy.)

This year, I decided to get a little craftier. Finger knitting is a super-quick craft that even younger kids can do—and it takes a lot less time than traditional knitting. Here are several ideas you can throw together before you head out to your Halloween festivities.

Crafty Cat

You’ll need: one skein of black yarn, a smidge of face paint, and an extra ball of yarn to use as your cat’s toy.

Both the cat headband and the fringe scarf are step-by-step projects you can find in Finger Knitting. Make them in matching colors for a costume you can assemble in an afternoon.

Princess Leia

You’ll need: one skein of brown yarn, a white cowl-neck top or dress, two hair bands, and lots of bobby pins!

Simply finger-knit two chains of yarn, about 48 inches (122 cm) long. Part your hair down the center, and tie it into two pigtails or little buns, depending on how long your hair is. Then spiral a finger-knit chain around each pigtail or bun, securing the chain with bobby pins as needed. 

Jacques Cousteau

You’ll need: one skein of red yarn, a chambray or light blue shirt, and a French accent.

Another project from Finger Knitting, the spiral hat is a bit more ambitious. Roll up the brim and stretch the top out a bit to make a Cousteau Society-approved accessory.

Swamp Thing

You’ll need: multiple skeins of yarn in different shades of green . . . green hair is optional.

What to do with all of your leftover finger-knit chains? Drape them around you in a haphazard fashion, and you’re the creature from the Knit Lagoon. If you want to be truly terrifying you can grab green face paint from Klutz’s Face Painting book and scare just about anyone out of their stash of candy on Halloween. 

I hope these ideas inspire you to make your own craft costume this year! And remember, if all else fails, you can always be a toilet-paper mummy.

So Much More Than a Beaded Band

By Vicky Eva, Klutz buyer, DIY queen, and (most importantly) proud mama

Before I worked for Klutz I used to be a buyer for a beads company, and oh how I loved it. I got to play with beads and make jewelry EVERY DAY. Pretty neat, huh? These days, with a little one and a new home, it’s a lot harder to find the time for crafting but I make a conscious effort to make time for it because it’s inspiring. Recently, Klutz's Beaded Bands inspired me to revisit my roots in beading. 

The book teaches kids how to make cute beaded bracelets, but I thought it would be fun to make something that would be multi-functional for me—beaded headbands that can act as necklaces as well. (I wasn’t kidding when I said I don’t have too much free time. I need my crafting to be productive!) After studying the techniques from the book, I grabbed some stretchy cord, and voilà! 

It was such a joy to make these projects. Not only was the crafting stress-relieving, the results were so rewarding. These headbands/necklaces will look great with my short hairstyle but I must say . . . they look much better on my model.